Sewing machine



March 31,1942. G, SAUER I 2,277,886

SEWING-MACHINE Filed Dec.' 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: 7 I N VEN TOR.-

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qeorye ,Sauer, BY WW ATTORNEYS.

- z/WITNESSQfig/ Patented Mar. 31, 1942 sewmc moms George Sauer, Berwyn, 111., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation or minois Application December 5, 1939, Serial No. 807,579

3 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines. More specifically it has reference to illuminating means in connection with sewing machines, particularly sewing machines of the "cup feed type in which the work is progressed by a pair of tangentially-opposed feed wheels past the stitch forming instrumentalities.

The primary object of my invention is to provide for the efllcient illumination of the stitch forming instrumentalities of sewing machines,

' without obstruction or restriction of the space necessary for the ready manipulation of the work by the hands of the operator in controlling the feeding, and without'the possibility of glare or reflection of the light into the eyes of the operator. 1

The above desideratum I secure in practice as hereinafter more fully disclosed, by recessing a source of concentrated light which may be in the form of an electric bulb, into the frame of the sewing machine in such a way that its beam is directed to'the point of stitch formation for illumination of the stitch forming instrumentalities and prevented from reaching the eyes of the operator.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following description of the drawings, wherein Fig. I shows, in vertical elevation a sewing machine conveniently embodying my invention, together with a powerdrive unit therefor.

Fig. II shows therear side elevation of the sewing machine with a portion of its housing in section and the source of light exposed to view.

The sewing machine herein illustrated for the purpose of exemplifying my invention is of the cup feed type having a housing l in which the operating mechanism of the machine is enclosed and actuated irom a transverse shaft 2 provided at its opposite protruding ends with combined hand and belt wheels ti andt respectively. At the top. the frame [I is formed with a lateral overhang extension E5 from which intermittently rotated feed cups or wheels ii and l (co'nsti= tuting the work supporting means) are suspended at the lower ends of two shafts 8 and 9, the feed wheel 5 being swingable away from the feed wheel ll when desired or required to insert the work initially, about a fixed pivot it in theoverhang projection t of the housing. The stitch forming instrumentalities of the machine include a needle it which moves horizontally back and forth substantially through the point of tangency of the feed wheels 5 and l, a. thread carrying looper i2 and a spreader it which cooperate with the needle above the feed wheels 6 and l. The thread (not shown) for the needle is taken from a suitable source of supply, and en route to said needle, passes through a tension device It at one side of the housing- I. The thread (not shown) for the looper i2 is taken from another source of supply and, en route to said looper, passes through, a tension device it at the opposite side of the ma= chine. In all other respects, the machine may be like that featured in U. 8. Patent No. 2,043,711 granted to Charles F. Rubel and Anton Wyleta on June 9, 1936.

As shown in Fig. I, the machine is arranged to be driven by a power unit comprehensively designated it, said unit being suitably supported from the plank or table it whereon the machine rests. The drive power unit it comprises an electric motor it whereof the shaft. may be coupled, through a clutch means it under the control of a lever 20 fulcrumed at El on a fixed bracket 22,

with an axially aligned shaft 23 which carries -In adapting my invention to a sewing machine organizatlon such as above briefly described, I form in the end of the overhang extension 6 of the machine housing beyond the feed wheels 8 and l, a cylindric cavity 28 which is open from the under side of said extension with its axis inclined in twodlrections as shown in Figs. I and II vto pass through the point of stitch formation. Fitted into the cavity 29 is a socket 29 for an incandescent electric bulb 38, said socket being secured in place by a set screw at 3!. cavity 28 is a sleeve 32 whereof the inner surface is highly polished 'to serve as a reflector. As a consequence of the described disposal of the bulb 3t, it will be seen that concentrated light is projected upon -the feeding and stitch forming instrumentalities of the machine so that the latter can be readily and easily threaded on the one hand, and so that on the other hand theirperformance can,be observed at all times during the operation of the machine. In this connection, it is also to be noted that the bulb 3G and the parts associated therewith are wholly accommodated within the housing, with resultant preclusion of any obstructions such as would Surrounding the bulb 30 within the through an angularly configured protective tube 34 secured by clips 35 to one side of the machine housing I, and which further extends through an opening 36 in the plank or table I! to the casing of the motor I8. Interposed in the conductor cord 33 and secured to the corresponding side of the machine housing I, is a manual switch 31 with an operating knob 38 whereby the light 30 may be turned on and off.,

While I have particularly described my invention in connection with a cup feed sewing machine, it is obvious that by slight modifications within the scope of the appended claims,

the same may be embodied in other types of sewing machines without sacrifice of the advantages hereinbefore pointed out.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an overedge sewing machine, a housing in which the operating mechanism of the machine is enclosed; a pair of tangentially opposed wheels "for feeding the work; a stitch forming instrumentality operative above the feed wheels; a cavity in a wall of the housing having its axis passing substantially through the point of stitch formation; and a source of light recessed into the cavity. with its beam directed on the feed wheels and the stitch forming instrumentality at the point of stitch formation, the cavity being of such depth as to shield the light'from the eyes of the operator.

2. In an overedge sewing machine, a housing in which the operating mechanism of the machine is enelosed, said housing having 9. laterally projecting overhanging extension at the top; a pair of tangentially opposed feedwheels supported in suspension from said extension; instrumentalities for overedge stitching work passing between the wheels; a cavity in the under side wall of the overhanging extension of the housing, said cavity having its axis passing substantially through the point of stitch formation; and an electric bulb recessed into the cavity with its beam directed toward the feed wheels, and the cooperating stitch forming instrumentalities at the point of stitch formation, the depth of the cavity being such that the light is shielded from the eyes of the operator.

3. In an overedge sewing machine, a housing in which the operating mechanism of the machine is enclosed, said housing having a lateral overhanging extension at the top; a pair of feed wheels supported in suspension from said extension; cooperating instrumentalities to overedge stitch work passed between the wheels; a cavity in the under side of the overhanging extension beyond the wheels, the axis of said cavity being inclined toextend substantially through the point of stitch formation; an electric bulb recessed within the cavity; and a reflectingsurface surrounding the bulb within the cavity whereby the feed wheels and the cooperating stitch forming instrumentalities of the machine are illuminated without glare or reflection into the eyes of the operator.

GEORGE SAUER 

